The International Atomic Energy Agency plans to use nuclear technology to monitor and reduce marine plastic pollution as part of its new NUclear TEChnology for Controlling Plastic Pollution program. "Nuclear techniques can help in assessing and understanding the dimension of the problem ... but also in the recycling of plastic through radiation techniques," said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

Westinghouse plans to open a shared service center in Krakow, Poland, in August. The company is competing with French utility EDF and South Korea's Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power for a role in Poland's plan to build six new nuclear reactors.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., plans to introduce legislation establishing production tax credits for existing nuclear power plants. "We'll attempt to get that included in an energy package," Cardin said.

Small modular reactors could become an integral part of Washington's clean energy mix in the future because of their flexibility, according to a new report from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The state is "uniquely positioned to kick off this process by demonstrating the leading small modular reactor technologies well before the end of the decade, and that's exciting," said MIT's Jacopo Buongiorno, co-author of the report.

British scientists involved in the UK Atomic Energy Authority's MAST Upgrade experiment have developed an exhaust system that can handle the intense heat produced during fusion reactions and thus extend the lifetime of tokamak machine components. Initial test results showed that the system, called Super-X, delivered a tenfold heat reduction.

Japan is working to have the technological capability to reprocess and reuse mixed oxide nuclear fuel, currently being stored at three nuclear power plants, by the late 2030s. Industry minister Kajiyama Hiroshi asked power company executives to help with technological development and said the ministry may assist local governments that support the fuel's use.

Russian space agency Roscosmos has announced plans to launch its nuclear-powered space tug in 2030. The spacecraft's 500-kilowatt nuclear reactor will power the 50-month space mission to the moon, Venus and Jupiter.

Registration is now open for the 2021 ANS Utility Working Conference, which will be held at the JW Marriott Marco Island in Florida, Aug. 8-11. While the meeting will be adjusted to prioritize safety, we're also transforming the UWC to provide more focus on the current challenges facing the US nuclear industry and practical approaches the industry needs to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing environment. Learn more.